[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 140 (Thursday, October 1, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E2434]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




        HONORING OUR NATION'S ICBM FORCE ON ITS 50TH ANNIVERSARY

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                           HON. EARL POMEROY

                            of north dakota

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, October 1, 2009

  Mr. POMEROY. Madam Speaker, I would like to recognize the 20th Air 
Force as we prepare to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the nation's 
nuclear Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) force. I have had the 
privilege of working with the Airmen who maintain this critical piece 
of our nuclear triad throughout my career in Congress and have seen 
first hand the commitment and dedication of all of those involved in 
ensuring that this crucial capability remains ready to respond on a 
moments notice.
  The history of our ICBM force began in 1954 with the establishment of 
the Western Development Division. The Western Development Division was 
responsible for the development of the first generation of underground 
ICBM's, the Titans, and the above-ground Atlas.
  This development lead to the initial alert of a nuclear warhead 
equipped ICBM, an Atlas D, at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California, in 
October of 1959. Soon after, work began on the Minuteman I missile, a 
second generation ICBM that would be on alert by the time of the Cuban 
Missile Crisis in 1962. Within three years the Air Force had replaced 
all of its first generation ICBM's with Minuteman I and a newer more 
advanced version, the Minuteman II. The Minuteman II would remain in 
service for the next 30 years.
  By the 1970's the Air Force had developed the Minuteman III with the 
first squadron of Minuteman III missiles at Minot Air Force Base, North 
Dakota reaching operational status by the end of December 1970. With 
the threat of the Soviet Union developing and deploying an increasing 
number of multi-warhead ICBM's the Air Force began to develop a third 
generation ICBM that would become the Peacekeeper. The Peacekeeper 
would ultimately be deployed in 1987 at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in 
Wyoming.
  For the past 50 years, the ICBM fleet has provided an important 
nuclear deterrent, which at its peak included more than 1,200 missiles. 
Today the Air Force has 450 Minuteman III ICBM's on alert in North 
Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Nebraska. As the Air Force 
activates Air Force Global Strike Command, a brand-new command 
committed solely to the nuclear deterrence mission, the 20th Air Force 
and the ICBM mission will transfer from Air Force Space Command to Air 
Force Global Strike Command.
  Madam Speaker, the citizens of the United States have been lucky to 
have the Airmen of the 20th Air Force diligently working to operate and 
secure this vital component of our nation's security for the past 50 
years. These Airmen have maintained a constant state of vigilance 24 
hours a day, seven days a week, performing vital operations, 
maintenance and security missions across the missile fields in areas 
that to the untrained eye look just like any other place in America. 
This is a mission that demands a constant level of alert to respond in 
an instant should it ever become necessary to employ our arsenal. This 
constant vigilance has served America so well in the past is poised to 
continue well into the future. I know my fellow Members of the House of 
Representatives will join me in congratulating the Air Force's 50 years 
of commitment to the ICBM mission with the highest standards of 
performance.

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